Safety Mel Mitchell is likely lost for the season after suffering a biceps injury. His agent, Ken Harris, told the Boston Globe that Mitchell will undergo surgery as early as Monday.

Mitchell was expected to be a core member of the Patriots' special teams unit. He was signed as a free agent this offseason after playing with the Saints for four seasons.

The Patriots had been giving significant practice time to special teams in recent days and Mitchell was injured in a Thursday practice.

LOOK AHEAD: With the Patriots not practicing Saturday and Sunday, things should be quiet. Barring any unexpected transactions, our next update will be Monday around noon, after Bill Belichick's scheduled press conference.

"LOOK AHEAD: With the Patriots not practicing Saturday and Sunday, things should be quiet. Barring any unexpected transactions, our next update will be Monday around noon, after Bill Belichick's scheduled press conference."
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This means that there will actually be a chance.... a CHANCE...the Patriots will not suffer any more injuries until Monday.

I was really hoping the injury bug would leave the PATs alone
this year. It doesn't seem so. It keeps niping at the roster and
the depth keeps getting worst. Very Sad. and yet PATs
got over 12M and they got scrubs for depth and their #1 recceiver
is still not in camp Go figure it.
Maybe success has gone to their heads and they are just down
right arrogant thinking they can win with scrubs for backups.

I was really hoping the injury bug would leave the PATs alone
this year. It doesn't seem so. It keeps niping at the roster and
the depth keeps getting worst. Very Sad. and yet PATs
got over 12M and they got scrubs for depth and their #1 recceiver
is still not in camp Go figure it.
Maybe success has gone to their heads and they are just down
right arrogant thinking they can win with scrubs for backups.

I was really hoping the injury bug would leave the PATs alone
this year. It doesn't seem so. It keeps niping at the roster and
the depth keeps getting worst. Very Sad. and yet PATs
got over 12M and they got scrubs for depth and their #1 recceiver
is still not in camp Go figure it.
Maybe success has gone to their heads and they are just down
right arrogant thinking they can win with scrubs for backups.

Click to expand...

It's not like we lost a front line player. ST gunner was one of the deepest positions on the team. I feel bad about Mitchell, but we still have Tebucky, who's an improvement on coverage over last year.

Relax. At worse Bruschi is out for a couple of RS games, games we should win reagrdless (Buffalo, @NY Jets). History has shown that the Pats will use that cap space wisely.

As for Branch, screw him if he doesn't show up. Popular opinion is fixated with WRs, yet the Pats have never sent a WR to the Pro Bowl (Troy Brown was listed as a special teamer) during their dynastic reign and a SB champion hasn't sent a WR to Honolulu since Issac Bruce after the 1999 season. The Raiders signed Moss and finished 4-12. Too many silly media predictions are WR-based.

Great response. Guess you couldn't read it after all. It's those glasses.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately for you, these glasses have been right. Remember last November, after the Chiefs game? My thread titled "I remain highly optimistic?" Do you remember what the Pats did after that? They won 4 straight, then Cassel and co. came a 2-point conversion away from beating the Dolphins' starters.

Or how about March, when T-Shirt had to hand out Chicken Little insurance policies to everyone who walked through the door, because they all started threads about how "The Pats were losing their magic?"

What about when SoonerPatriot criticized the speed of the Pats' rookie contract negotiations? Were they all into camp on time?

Decent atricle by Felger. Of course, you can't get a straight answer from BB only a question like this but one possible explanation Felger overlooks is that the Patriots are trying to focus on the rookies/young players to build some newer, longer lasting depth. It was just last year the Pats were getting props about quality of their drafts (I think they are a little overrrated in this area), maybe the Pats think it's time the guys they drafted start to PLAY, and not just walk the sidelines.

Decent atricle by Felger. Of course, you can't get a straight answer from BB only a question like this but one possible explanation Felger overlooks is that the Patriots are trying to focus on the rookies/young players to build some newer, longer lasting depth. It was just last year the Pats were getting props about quality of their drafts (I think they are a little overrrated in this area), maybe the Pats think it's time the guys they drafted start to PLAY, and not just walk the sidelines.

Click to expand...

Right on. I don't understand the fetish some have with older, somewhat injury-prone and higher-priced players like Poole, Law, Starks, McGinest, Johnson, Phifer, Traylor, Andruzzi, Woody, Ashworth, Fauria, Patten, Smith, etc. It's no secret injuries and a good dose of **** calls in Denver were a huge part of the Pats' demise last season.

Unfortunately for you, these glasses have been right. Remember last November, after the Chiefs game? My thread titled "I remain highly optimistic?" Do you remember what the Pats did after that? They won 4 straight, then Cassel and co. came a 2-point conversion away from beating the Dolphins' starters.

Or how about March, when T-Shirt had to hand out Chicken Little insurance policies to everyone who walked through the door, because they all started threads about how "The Pats were losing their magic?"

What about when SoonerPatriot criticized the speed of the Pats' rookie contract negotiations? Were they all into camp on time?

Click to expand...

Maybe you should replay the season last year ... the first 10 game will do.
If the lack of quality depth in those games and the result doesn't
translate to what is happening before your very eyes then there is nothing I
say that will induce even the sightest concern on your part.
It is a very good thing the PATs have an easier schedule this year.

I was really hoping the injury bug would leave the PATs alone
this year. It doesn't seem so. It keeps niping at the roster and
the depth keeps getting worst. Very Sad. and yet PATs
got over 12M and they got scrubs for depth and their #1 recceiver
is still not in camp Go figure it.
Maybe success has gone to their heads and they are just down
right arrogant thinking they can win with scrubs for backups.

Click to expand...

BB didnt sign a bunch of superstars or over pay those who left because all it will do will leave you with a horrible cap like the Colts. And what have the Colts done with their juggernaut of an offense? Definitley nothing in the playoffs. You say scrubs, I think your foolish, most teams in the league have backups that our scrubs. The Patriots have good backups at RB, Cassel isnt bad, WR is an issue, Offenive Line we have some good guys as back ups. D-Line their is Jarvis Green. Linebacker there is Brown, Gardner(whos started before) and a few others. Some like Izzo will be special teamers, good special teamers. CB's our likely 4th and 5th stringers with be veterans that have had success...Scott and Warfield. Safeties, Tebucky, Sanders(may not be a backup), Scott, Hawkins will be once Harrison returns. We have some solid backups. I dont know where you are coming from, they dont have to be big names to be solid players. Thats what we have a lot of solid players that we dont overpay for. Hence why the Patriots have won 3 superbowls in 4 years.

Maybe you should replay the season last year ... the first 10 game will do.
If the lack of quality depth in those games and the result doesn't
translate to what is happening before your very eyes then there is nothing I
say that will induce even the sightest concern on your part.
It is a very good thing the PATs have an easier schedule this year.

Click to expand...

2005...we thought we had superb backsups. I mean just look at it, Samuel...Gay, Poole, Starks and Chad Scott to choose from plus the rookie Hobbs. We draft a safety in the fourth round. Our secondary will be amazing! Poole injured, Scott injured, Gay injured, Starks injured. Then we bring in Hank Poteat. Rodney goes down, so does Guss Scott. Did anyone expect that?

Your just about the most negative poster I have seen on this sight. Just calm down now, Regular Season doesnt start until September. You can start panicing if the Pats go on a losing streak.

Right on. I don't understand the fetish some have with older, somewhat injury-prone and higher-priced players like Poole, Law, Starks, McGinest, Johnson, Phifer, Traylor, Andruzzi, Woody, Ashworth, Fauria, Patten, Smith, etc. It's no secret injuries and a good dose of **** calls in Denver were a huge part of the Pats' demise last season.

A response that side steps the issue. Talk about the depth TODAY at
ILB, WR and even the Dline.
if they had to play today tell me who your starters who are your 2nd string
players. Write it out ... show me this wonderful depth you are speaking of.
AS of Today. ( if you use injured players put an '*' next to his name. )